


One Night Forever

by MaybeItWasMemphis



Category: NCIS
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, I don't know where it came from but it wouldn't leave until I wrote it, Lemon, Out of Character, Romance, Smut, This is a weird plot.
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-11
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-02-27 10:34:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 11,540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22215655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaybeItWasMemphis/pseuds/MaybeItWasMemphis
Summary: What do you get when you take a bored TV actress with a fast ticking biological clock and mix her in with an older, jaded NCIS agent? This story. That's what you get.REPOST FROM MY OLD ACCOUNT
Relationships: Jethro Gibbs/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 52





	1. Lia

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: My closet connection to NCIS is the fact that my husband is a former Marine. And trust me, he didn't own the Marines, the Marines owned him. NCIS belongs to CBS Television and Donald P. Bellisario.

_“Happiness often sneaks in through a door you didn’t know you left open.”_

**\- John Barrymore**

“What do you mean production's moving?” Ophelia 'Lia' Ryan eyed the producer in front her wearily.

“Lia, we're bringing the show back after over ten years off the air. The network doesn't want to sink too much money into it until we can prove we can pull in ratings like we used to.” Aidan Abner, the co-executive producer of Lia's show, 'Kutte Out for Family', explained. “It costs too much to produce in LA or New York. D.C.'s offering huge tax incentives to production companies to film there. Tourism is down with Trump in office and they want to lure more than Republicans and protesters to the district.”

“D.C.?” Lia groaned. “That is way too close to my hometown for comfort.”

You seem Lia had been a television actress since roughly the age of six when she had been cast as Angel Rogers on the original run of 'Kutte Out for Family'. The show was about a biker couple, Tank and Pinky, raising their three kids, Rivet, Widow, and Lia's character, Angel. A show along the same lines as _Roseanne_ , with parents who struggled to keep the family finances afloat and kids who weren't always perfectly behaved angels, was an instant hit with late 90's viewers and enjoyed a full decade-long run, ending shortly before Lia turned seventeen. Sadly, this meant that Lia had to move back home to Norfolk, Virginia with her mother. A failed actress, Lydia James was a true stage mom, pushing Lia into the spotlight at every turn. Hell, if it hadn't have been for her TV mom, Amelia Carter, she wouldn't have had a childhood at all. Amelia used to take Lia on outings with her and her own children as often as she could. She also made sure that the 'Kutte Out for Family' set was a kid-friendly environment. It was Amelia who helped her completely break ties with her mom when she turned eighteen. Amelia had offered her a room in her home in LA while Lia took a step back from acting and attended UCLA.

Now Lia was just shy of thirty with a Masters degree in film and an impressive resume as a Hollywood producer. It had been Lia's idea to bring 'Kutte Out for Family' back to the airwaves. With other 90's sitcoms such as ' _Full House_ ', _'Roseanne'_ , and ' _Will and Grace_ ' successfully returning to television, Lia thought that it was a good time to introduce a new generation of viewers to the Rogers family. With the success of newer biker shows like ' _Sons of Anarchy'_ , bikers and characters with real flaws were in vogue and they needed to strike while the iron was still hot.

“I'm sure if the ratings are good for the first season CBS will let us move production to an LA soundstage. But, for now, we either move to DC or CBS cancels the season order,” Aiden broke the bad news.

“They cancel the season order, they cancel the show,” Lia stomped her foot. “Urgh! Fine! Where exactly are we moving to?” It looked like she now had to start house hunting and packing on top of everything else she had going on as co-executive producer of the show. She mentally tallied up the number of Redbulls in her fridge because wasn't going to be getting any sleep for a while. She could only remember seeing six. She now also had to make a stop by Whole Foods on her way home. Wonderful.

“The Navy has some old, unused warehouse in the Washington Navy Yard that have been converted into film studios to help und the Navy and Marine Corps. We'll have to install seating for the studio audience but I found some money in our budget to cover it.

Lia laughed in disbelief. “A Navy yard? Are you kidding me? What, did we personally offend the president of CBS in some way? This is a joke. We were CBS' top-rated show for a freakin' decade and the buzz about our return is huge. We even got Charlie Hunnam and Kim Coates to guest star in episode thirteen. I'm supposed to call Jax Teller and Tig Trager and tell them we're filing at a navy yard in DC? Kim is almost as crazy as Tig in real life!”

Aiden shrugged. “Take it or leave it, kid.”


	2. Gibbs

Gibbs was getting pissed. He had been waiting on his cup of coffee for over twenty minutes. Ever since the Navy yard had converted a few old warehouses into film studios, his favorite coffee shop near the yard was always packed in the mornings.

“Oh, come on,” he heard a frustrated voice mumble from behind him.

Gibbs turned and found a pretty woman with platinum blonde hair and brown eyes leaning against the counter beside him. She was alternately flipping through a bound stack of papers and checking the time on her smartphone. “This place is always packed since those Hollywood flakes moved to town,” he decided to strike up a conversation. “Gibbs,” he held out his hand to her.

The woman smirked and shook his hand. “Lia...one of those Hollywood flakes.”

Oops. “That accent doesn't sound very Hollywood.” He tried to backpedal away from his insult and commented on the southern twang to her voice.

Lia laughed. “I'm from Norfolk originally...nice deflection by the way.”

“Local girl made it to Hollywood. Impressive.” Okay, now he was flirting. Lia couldn't be but in her late twenties or early thirties but was drop dead gorgeous...and she obviously had a sense of humor because she hadn't slapped him yet.

“You could say that,” Lia nodded. “You work at NCIS?” she gestured to the badge that was visible on her belt buckle. “One of your agents is at almost every one of my show's tapings. He's come to a few after show meet and greets as well. He has a real Italian name.”

“DiNozzo,” Gibbs supplied. That bit of information in no way surprised him. Of course Tony took advantage of a TV show filming at the Navy yard to indulge his love of all things Hollywood. “Yeah, I work for NCIS. I'm his boss.”

“He's very flirty,” Lia commented as she stuffed what Gibbs now suspected was a scrip into her jean shoulder bag.

That was also not a surprise. What was a surprise was the tiny bit of irrational anger and jealousy that briefly surged through him at the thought of DiNozzo flirting with a woman that he had known for all of five minutes. “That he is. It's a bit of a character flaw. What do you do on your show? You a writer or something?” She seemed way too down to earth to be anyone famous. Not that he would know even if she was. The last sitcom he had paid attention to was _Mork & Mindy_.

Lia laughed. “I'm a cast member and executive producer.”

There was another surprise. Didn't actresses nowadays always travel with a bodyguard, photographers, and a little dog in tow? “Wow. I would not have guessed that. You seem way too sweet to be a celebrity.”

“I'm more of a recognizable face than a celebrity,” Lia blushed and tucked somPublishe of her hair behind her ear.

The way she downplayed her job was cute and Gibbs found himself blurting out, “I know this might seem kind of forward but do you want to exchange numbers? Maybe go out for a drink later?”

Lia blushed a bit more but smiled and nodded before the two exchanged numbers.

“I usually get off at six. Can I give you a call then?” Gibbs put his phone back into his coat pocket.

“Yeah, we finish rehearsals at five,” Lia nodded.

“Come on, LiLi. We gotta wrap up rehearsals today so we can shoot my scenes tomorrow. Badass biker this week, next week a goon who gets killed by Bruce Willis in one punch” A curly haired man around Gibbs age breezed past them carrying two cups of coffee.

Lia laughed. “That was Kim. He is definitely one of those Hollywood flakes.”


	3. Gibbs

“Hey, DiNozzo,” Gibbs got the younger man's attention as soon as he stepped off the elevator.

“What's up, boss?” DiNozzo walked to stand next to his desk.

“What TV show films over in the old warehouses?”

“Kutte Out For Family,” DiNozzo immediately answered. “Why?”

“I met an actress from the show while getting coffee this morning. Lia...something.” He wanted to slap himself upside the head. He had gotten Lia's phone number but not her last name. Real classy.

“Lia Ryan?” DiNozzo's eyebrows shot up and he leaned over to the type the name in the google search engine on Gibbs' computer and clicked on a Wikipedia page.

Putting on his glasses, Gibbs looked at the picture next on the side of the web page, above Lia's vital information. “Yeah, that's her.”

“Damn, you're lucky boss,” DiNozzo shook his head.

“Don't you have work to do?” That irrational anger was back and he glared at the agent, who quickly walked over to his over desk, giving his boss a strange look.

Once DiNozzo was gone, Gibbs turned to read the entry.

_*** Ophelia “Lia” (pronounced Leah) Celeste Ryan is an American actress and television producer. She is best known for her role as youngest daughter, Angel Rogers, on the long-running CBS sitcom, Kutte Out For Family (1995 – 2005, 2018 – present) as well as being the producer behind the hit superhero dramas, Dare City and Yellow Phoenix. ***_

Even though he knew that it wasn't fair given that Lia couldn't research him in the same way, he couldn't stop himself from clicking on the tab labeled 'Personal Life.'

_*** Lia Ryan was born on December 5, 1988, in Norfolk, Virginia to Lydia Ryan and an unidentified father. A child beauty queen, Ryan was cast as younger daughter, Angel Rogers, on the American situation comedy, Kutte Out For Family when she was just 6-years-old._

_Ryan became estranged from her mother at the age of eighteen when she took a hiatus from Hollywood to attend college much to her mother's disapproval. While Ryan is notoriously private about her personal life, Lydia Ryan has given numerous press interviews about the mother and daughter's strained relationship._

_Ryan was in a relationship with American pop singer, Easton Ezra from 2004 until 2008 when photographs leaked to American tabloids of Ezra cheating on Ryan with his now wife, Makayla Lincon-Ezra, a former Victoria's Secret fashion model. ***_

Gibbs closed the webpage. On top of feeling sorry for the beautiful woman he had met that day, he was also feeling like he had just severely invaded her privacy.

The google search results were still up and he noticed a video result entitled, Kutte Out For Family's TV Return Draws Huge Laughs. Curious, he pressed play.

***** Lia was seated at a kitchen table with an older woman. Both were made up to look like biker old ladies. Tight clothes, perfect makeup, long, painted fingernails and tattoos that looked so real, Gibbs would have thought they were if he hadn't have seen Lia's bare arms just that morning.**

**“Have you talked to Daddy about giving up riding? The doctors say he needs to or he'll need a new hip.” Lia's character, Angel, took a sip from her coffee mug.**

**“No,” the older woman shook her head. “I asked your brother to do it. You know I'm the only one in this family who knows how to plan a decent funeral.”**

**'Angel' shook her head. “I'm gonna miss Rivet.”**

The scene changed. Now 'Angel' was seated on a couch reading a book when a little boy, who slightly resembled her, walked in and sat down beside her.

**“Why aren't you at school, Levi?” 'Angel' lowered her book.**

**“Why aren't you at work?” The kid shot back with perfect timing, picking up a comic book and starting to read.**

**“Because I'm off on Tues – wait a minute, I'm the mom, you're the kid. Go to school!” *****

The final clip in the video had Gibbs forcing himself to think about baseball.

***** Lia was wearing short, cut-off jean shorts and a black bikini top and was covered in sweat sitting on the couch in front of a fan that sat on the coffee table in front of her.**

**“Why's it so hot in here?” The character of Widow asked, entering the house.**

**“We're trying to get acclimated to the temperature in Hell,” 'Angel' replied.**

**“Lord knows this family has a downstairs EZ Pass,” 'Widow' replied with a chuckle. “A/C finally bite the dust?”**

**'Angel' shook her head. “Nope, I was just curious what a heat stroke felt like.” *****

Gibbs closed the video and search results. He was not going to get any work done if he kept thinking about Lia. She could wait until he was off the clock.


	4. Lia/Gibbs

Lia had just gotten out of the shower and was in the process of getting dressed when he cell phone started ringing. Forgetting about her t-shirt, she took a seat on the edge of her bed in nothing but jeans and a bra and answered it without looking at the caller ID.

“Hey there, sweetheart.” The voice was easily recognizable as belonging to the handsome older man that she had met that morning while her and Kim were picking up coffee before rehearsals.

“Hey, Gibbs. You know, I never got your whole name.”

“Leroy Jethro Gibbs but I prefer Gibbs or my middle name.”

Wow. What had he done to piss off his parents, she wondered. “Ophelia Ryan,” she had a feeling that he had no clue who she was. It was one of the reasons she liked him. “Apparently we both did something very bad in a previous life.”

He laughed huskily. “Yeah, DiNozzo told me who you were when I got into work this morning. “Can't say I've ever seen your show, only a few clips this morning. Not much of a TV person.” He was just making himself sound more perfect and he didn't even know it. “I was wondering if you still wanted to get that drink, sweetheart?”

“I'd love to. Is there anyplace around here that's small, out of the way? I tend to get recognized more in a crowd.” She didn't want to spend half the night signing autographs. Lia hadn't been this attracted to a man since, well...ever, actually.

“How about my place?”

“Sure.” Why the hell was she agreeing to meet a strange man, alone, at his house? She knew better than that.

“What's your address, sweetheart? I'll come pick you up.”

Lia proceeded to give her home address to the man that she didn't know from Adam. McGruff the Crime Dog would be so ashamed of her. She was behaving like the cautionary tale in every after-school special that she had been forced to endure watching as a child. And even if you took away the stranger danger aspect, she was still a public figure, a B-rated television actress. If she wanted to keep her private life private, Lia knew that she had to be way more careful than this.

“I'll be there to get you in about half an hour.”

“I'll be waiting.” And praying like hell she wasn't about to get murdered.

***

The summer sun had just set as Gibbs pulled his Dodge Charger into the driveway of a surprisingly modest house in the Georgetown area. He was still surprised at how quickly Lia had agreed to join him for drinks at his place but he wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth.

When Lia opened the door for him she was wearing jeans a t-shirt with Tim McGraw on the front of it. She looked like your average (very beautiful), down to earth country girl. Even though he had seen proof of the fact with his own eyes it was still hard for him to believe that she was a celebrity. She was too...normal.

“You ready to go?” Gibbs leaned in and kissed her cheek. The glow of the porch light allowed him to see the pretty blush that colored her cheeks.

“Yep.” Lia grabbed her purse and locked up the house before allowing him to wrap his arm around her waist and lead her to his car.

The fifteen-minute drive to his house was spent making pleasant but safe small talk. “Now that I'm complaining, sweetheart, but what made you agree to this? You have to have men hitting on you left and right.” Gibbs apparently decided that safe talk was boring.

“Honestly? You're not hard on the eyes and you didn't know who I was until after we met. That's a rare combination that I'm not used to,” she answered as he pulled off the highway. “You struck up a conversation with me because you were attracted to me as a woman, not me as a celebrity. Why wouldn't I want to explore that?”

Gibbs reached over and took her hand as he turned on the road that would eventually lead to his neighborhood. “You know I'm almost fifty, right sweetheart?” He gave her hand a little squeeze to let her know that the age difference didn't matter to him. “I gotta be close to twenty years older than you.”

Lia chuckled and pleasantly surprised him by squeezing his hand in return. “Actually, you're exactly twenty years older than me. And you're talking about our age difference like this is more than two people having drinks.”

Gibbs wasn't an idiot. He knew that she was baiting him and he let her. He had no problem with making his intentions clear. “I was hoping that if all went well tonight, we could try being a little bit more than friends.”

“I was hoping for the exact same thing.” Lia smiled sweetly at him.


	5. Lia

Lia was very surprised when they arrived at his house and Gibbs led her down to the basement. For a hot second, her thoughts had drifted back to the idea of her being a murder victim. Then she noticed the half-finished sailboat and his bottle of whiskey sitting on the workbench. The basement was obviously his man cave, the place he spent most of his time when he was home. He was allowing her entry to his private sanctuary.

She hadn't complained when he had poured her a helping of whiskey in a mason har that had previously housed carpenters nails. Instead, she had hopped up to sit on the workbench before gratefully accepting the gla – jar. “You a sailor, Jethro?” She started the conversation and nodded at the boat. 

“More of a carpenter than a sailor but I'm adequate when I'm on the water.” He moved to lean against the bench beside where her legs were dangling. “You like the water, sweetheart?”

Lia smiled and nodded. “My TV mom, Amelia, her and her husband, Ross, used to take me out on their boat with them and their three kids. We'd sail around Catalina Island. Ross made sure to always include me when he was giving his boys sailing lessons. Some of the best memories from my childhood happened out on that boat.” She noticed the look of pity that crossed Gibbs' face for a split second before he masked it. “I'm guessing from the pitying look that you know I'm estranged from my mom and have no idea who the hell my father is. Let's save some time. You tell me what you know or think you know about me.” Might as well put it all on the table now. 

“You don't speak to your mom, your college educated, your ex cheated on you, you're from Norfolk, and, honestly, I didn't know that you didn't know who your father is. I just thought the press hadn't figured out his name.” He brought his jar to his lips and took a sip when he was done speaking.

Wow. Pure, relaxed honesty. How many bonus points could a man score with her in one night? He wasn't done scoring points yet either.

“I'm a former Marine sniper, I've been married four times. Three of those marriages ended in divorce because I hadn't gotten over the murders of my first wife and our daughter.” Now Gibbs took more of a gulp than a sip from his jar. 

“I don't know what to say to that,” Lia admitted. She was still trying to process all that he had just shared. 

“You don't have to say anything. I was just evening out the scoreboard. Now you just as much about me as I know about you.” Gibbs downed the rest of his drink before pushing away from the workbench and walking to the boat. His back to her, he took a seat on a stool, picked up a piece of sandpaper and began to smooth out the wood on the side of the hull. “Come join me, sweetheart.”

Lia threw back the last (large) gulp of whiskey in her jar, set it down and gracefully hopped off the workbench. She walked to his side but she declined his invitation to sit between his legs on the stool. Something he said finally registered. “Wait. You said earlier that you want to be more than friends but you also said you've been divorced three times. I have no interest in applying for the job of ex-wife number four.”

“I'm not askin' you to, darlin.'” Gibbs chuckled. “I'm not the same man that those three ex-wives were married to. I'm older; wiser now. I know not to go chasing marriage to fill a void left by someone else. I also know when I'm drawn to a woman without knowing the reason why, when I seek that woman out for her company because I enjoy it, not need it, I know not to let that slip by me. It's only ever happened to me twice. The first time ended in a happy marriage and a beautiful kid. Maybe lightening's striking twice, who knows?”

That did it for her. Lia walked directly into his arms and did something very unlike her...she kissed him.


	6. Lia

“Do you like what you do,” Jethro asked as he guided Lia's hand. He was showing her how to sand the wood on the hull of the boat while he stood behind her, pressed as close to her as he could. Too close to be considered decent. Lia loved it.

“I like producing and writing more than I like acting,” she admitted. “I'm only good at acting because I've been doing it my whole life. For a long time, I didn't know how to do anything else. I actually had to study to and work hard to be a good writer and producer. I feel like I earned those credits.”

“Why start acting again than?” Lia could feel his warm breath on her neck and it gave her goosebumps. “Seems like you were doing just fine behind the scenes from the little I read. Why bring your old show back?”

Lia stopped sanding and put the square piece of sandpaper on top of the workbench beside them before turning around in Gibbs' arms to face him. “I'm trying to prove something...to who I'm not exactly sure yet.”

“Now I'm really curious, darlin',” Gibbs brushed some hair out of her face so he could see her clearly. 

“The last time I spoke to my mom she told me that I'd be nothing as an actress without her there to guide me. I'm not sure if I'm trying to prove to her that I can do it or myself.” Lia chuckled nervously. “That was probably way longer of an answer than you were looking for...more of a buzzkill answer guaranteed.” Her mouth had run away with her and she had been way more open than she was comfortable with.

“I'm tryin' to get to know you, sweetheart,” he leaned down and gave her a soft, quick kiss. “Nothing about that is a buzzkill, I promise.”

“I come with more baggage than United Airlines.” She had already overshared so she might as well put all her cards on the table. “I'm clingy and needy when I'm in a relationship if my ex-boyfriend is to be believed anyway. Currently, I'm freaking out about turning thirty because I'm not married with kids yet, and I do want kids...like three or four. And if your main interest in me is in being with a celebrity, I'm B-rated at best, hate the spotlight, and fully plan on retiring for good from acting when my show ends this time around – ”

Lia didn't get a chance to finish her nervous rant because Gibbs silenced her with a kiss. This kiss, unlike the last, wasn't quick. He ran his tongue along the seam of her lips, asking for access that she was happy to grant him. He took his time. It was like he was trying to map the inside of her mouth using only his tongue. When he finally pulled away, he smirked at her. “Are you done?”

Rendered almost catatonic by his kiss, Lia could only nod in reply. 

“Good,” he kissed her forehead. He leaned back to look in her eyes. “If we could put our emotional baggage on a scale, I promise you mine would outweigh yours. And I'm a touchy-feely possessive asshole, sweetheart, so be as clingy and needy as you want because I'll like it.” Lia smiled and unconsciously moved a little closer. Gibbs welcomed the closeness, putting his hands on her hips. “And thirty's not old, not by a long shot. You still have time for marriage and babies. I don't have a problem with it if that's where you wanna see this relationship go. And you may not know me very well yet but you know damn well that I don't care what the hell you do for a living. The only thing I have to ask is if I'm really what you want. Are those things you'd want with a man so much older than you?”

Lia wanted to scream, 'Yes, now, please!', but again she only nodded.

“That's settled then,” he kissed her almost as though he was sealing a pact, like a crossroads demon from that 'Supernatural' TV show.

When they parted this time, Lia was able to speak. “If I ask you to take me to bed, will we still be more than friends in the morning?”

She watched as Gibbs' eyes dilated in arousal. Lia was surprised she didn't actually see flames in his eyes. “If I take you to my bed, you belong to me, Lia.”

Ohhh. That sounded like a delicious threat. “Will you belong to me too?”

“Every last part of me,” he nodded.

“Than what exactly are we waiting for?”


	7. Gibbs

Once they had made it to his bedroom, Lia seemed to lose the little bit of sexual bravado that she had displayed down in Gibbs' basement. As he closed the door, she stood at the foot of his bed nervously twisting her hands together. She wasn't ready for this, not yet. She was only doing it because she thought it was what he wanted from her.

Gibbs walked up to her and wrapped his arms around her waist, drawing her closer. “You know, when I said you were mine if I took you to bed...there was never any stipulation that we had to anything other than sleep.”

Lia's eyes darted to meet his. She was clearly surprised by this turn of events. “Really?”

“Really,” he leaned down and softly kissed her. “How about I get you one of my t-shirts to sleep in?”

She nodded and the blinding smile she gave him was all the reward he'd ever need for momentarily taking sex off of the table. There was just something about Lia. Like Shannon before her, there was just more life and sparkle to her even though the two of them were vastly different women, they didn't even look alike. For the first time, one of the reasons he was attracted to a woman was because she was beautiful and didn't look like his late first wife.

“Thanks for this, Jethro,” Lia whispered to him as she lay cuddled up against his chest in bed.

“If we end up working out the way that I want us to, we'll more than make up for the sex that we aren't having tonight. It's worth it. You're worth it.” He kissed her forehead and held her a little tighter.

“I've never had a man say that to me before.” Lia's whisper was more than a little sad. 

“You've been dating idiots, darlin'. Any fool could see that you're the exact definition of the girl you bring home to meet your parents.”

Lia didn't respond with words. Instead, she tilted her head up and sweetly kissed his chin.

“Do you have to work tomorrow, sweetheart?” He decided to lighten up the topic of conversation. 

“Yeah, we film the show on Friday nights. I have to be there in the morning for a final run-through of the script and dress rehearsals.”

“I gotta work tomorrow too. Why don't I set the alarm an hour earlier? That way I can take you by your place to get changed and pack a bag for the weekend.” He set the trap and waited for her to take the bait.

Lia picked her head up to look at him as best as she could in the dark. The look on her pretty face was confused. “I have my own car, Jethro. You don't need to drive me to the studio. And what is all this about packing a bag and the weekend?”

Gibbs chuckled huskily. “We work at the same Navy yard, sweetheart. There's really no point in taking two cars. It's a waste of perfectly good gas. And I want you to pack a bag because I want you to spend the weekend here with me. That is, only if you want to. And nothing's expected of you beyond your company.”

“I'd love that,” he could see the shy smile she wore and he found it endearing. Here was a woman who had been famous since she was just a kid and yet the simplest acts of affection brought out a bright happiness in Lia. While he found her behavior adorable, it also pissed him off. Affection made Lia so happy because she obviously hadn't been shown much of it in her life. Her mother, her unknown father, and her jackass ex-boyfriend had all failed her when her heart had been their responsibility. Gibbs made a silent promise to not be one of the people added to the list of people who had let Lia down. For the first time since Shannon, he was all in with a woman.

“I'd love that too,” he kissed her quickly. “Now get some rest, sweetheart. We're getting' up early in the morning.”

With a happy little sigh, Lia laid her head back down on his chest. If it was even possible, she cuddled into him even closer than before.


	8. Lia

Lia was humming to herself as she walked into the makeup trailer. 

“What's got you acting so chipper this morning?” Amelia was the only other cast member in the room. She was dressed in a red silk kimono and sat in one of the chairs that faced the mirror. With their budget being so little and no extra room indoors, they were stuck with a drafty little trailer that Lia was pretty sure was left over from the days of ' _I Love Lucy_.'

“Something went right in my personal life for a chance,” Lia responded as she took a seat in the chair next to her TV mom.

Amelia turned to her and raised an eyebrow. “Details, darling.”

The only other person in the trailer was the show's makeup artist, Burke. Lia knew he was good at keeping his mouth shut. He had been with them since the show's first run and no cast secrets had ever left his lips. It was safe to talk around him. “His name's Jethro, he's older than me, and he works here at the yard as an NCIS agent. We spent last night together and not in the naughty way.” She knew if she didn't add that last part she would never hear the end of it from Amelia. The older woman might have been born and bred in Hollywood but she could be kind of a prude sometimes. 

“How much older,” Burke inquired. He was never one to stay out of conversations but that was something that Lia loved about him. If she ever needed to talk he was always more than ready to listen. 

“Twenty years.”

Burke put his hands on his hips. “Are you sure you two didn't get busy last night because he can't anymore?”

“Burke, you're horrible,” Lia laughed and shook her head. “We didn't have sex last night because I'm not ready yet and Jethro doesn't us messing up a good thing by doing it before I am.”

“Okay,” Amelia nodded. “I'm liking the sound of this Jethro guy. After what you went through with Easton you need someone mature that you can trust.”

Amelia had never forgiven Easton for cheating on Lia and breaking her heart. She had gone so far as to use her Hollywood clout to have her musician ex-boyfriend blacklisted from the television industry. No guest starring roles on any scripted shows were headed his way so long as Amelia was alive.

“How'd you meet him,” Burke asked as he started mixing the makeup he would use to paint on their tattoos.

“We met at the little shop over on Elm Street when me and Kim were getting coffee yesterday,” Lia responded as she rolled up her sleeves so Burke could get to work.

“Well, sweetpea, just go slow. Don't let your anxieties get the best of you,” Amelia advised. 

Lia really hoped that she was going to be able to take her mentor's advice.


	9. Gibbs

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Yes, I paraphrased a line from Netflix show 'The Ranch.' I don't own it. 

Unknown to Lia, Gibbs, with no pressing cases on his plate had surprised DiNozzo and agreed to go with him to watch the taping of 'Kutte Out For Family.' He hoped she wouldn't mind. He focused his attention on the sound stage once the lights had dimmed. 

_********* _   
_When the director yelled. 'ACTION.” Lia descended the stairs to answer a ringing doorbell._

_“Are you Liam Rodgers mother?” An actor dressed as a police officer held the actor who played Liam by the back of his jacket._

_“Depends,” Lia eyed the cop wearily. “What did he do now and how much is it going to cost me?”_

*****  
 _“You and your dad need to just leave, Arthur.” Lia had tears so real in her eyes that Gibbs was resisting the urge to storm the stage and knock out the blonde actor who was playing her deadbeat ex-actor. “All you care about is your patch and your club. Me and Liam don't need you. I have my family, Daddy's club, and I have the world's most awesome kid that you'll never be lucky enough to know. It's your damn loss.”_

_The curly haired man that Gibbs remembered from the coffee shop suddenly appeared beside the faux ex-couple and grabbed the pocket knife off of the picnic table they were standing beside. “Don't mind me, son. I'm just removing all potential murder weapons. Baby Girl always did have a nasty temper.”_

_*********_  
When the show wrapped filming, Gibbs sent Lia a text message to meet him in the parking lot. “Alright, DiNozzo, I'm takin' off,” he slapped the younger man on the shoulder. 

“Okay, boss.” DiNozzo wasn't paying him any attention. He was trying to catch the eye of the actress who played Lia's older sister on the show. 

Fifteen minutes later, Gibbs was leaning against the passenger side door of his car, waiting, when Lia finally appeared. The heavy makeup and fake tattoos and fingernails were now gone and his pretty little country girl was back.

Lia smiled when she saw him and Gibbs opened his arms in invitation. “Great how tonight, sweetheart.”

She went into his arms and hugged him snugly, her face against his chest. “I thought that was you in the audience.” She looked up at him and smiled. Gibbs couldn't resist dropping a kiss to her lips. “My friend. Charlie, the guy who plays my ex-husband, is convinced you were looking at him like you wanted to kill him.”

Gibbs chuckled and squeezed her waist. “I don't like seeing anyone mistreat you, even if it is only acting.”

Lia's eyes filled with moisture but no tears fell as she gave him a shaky smile. “I could fall in love with you so easily, Jethro. It really scares me.”

Gibbs brought a hand up to stroke her cheek, his thumb brushing over her bottom lip. “I feel the same way about you. Sweetheart...although the thought of loving you doesn't scare me for a second. I've already told you, you're the type of woman any half smart man would want to keep and I know how damn lucky I am that you've agreed to be mine. I'd never purposefully hurt you and I'd NEVER cheat on you.”

Lia didn't respond verbally, she simply leaned up for another kiss.

Gibbs kissed her forehead when they parted. “Now, we're both off for the weekend so how about I take you home, cook you dinner, and then we spend the rest of the night watching TV and drinking bourbon?”

“Sounds like my kind of heaven,” Lia smiled.


	10. Lia

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own 'Smokey and the Bandit', that movie came out over a decade before I was even thought of let alone born. I was just in the process of mourning Burt Reynolds when I wrote this chapter...and Gibbs seems like the type of old-school guy that would like that movie.

_***** “Atlanta to Texarkana and back in twenty-eight hours? That ain't never been done before. Not in no rig.”** _

  
_**“That's 'cause we ain't never done it.”** _

  
_**“Suppose we don't make it?”** _

  
_**“Hey, we ain't never not made it before, have we?” ***** _

  
Lia laughed as she sat curled up against Jethro's side with a tumbler of bourbon in her as they watched 'Smokey and the Bandit' on the TCM network. “It goes to show how country I am that I completely understood that and didn't need to think about it.”

  
Jethro chuckled. “The only bad thing about this movie is that anyone would risk getting locked up to smuggle Coors beer across state lines.”

  
“That shit tastes like piss.” Lia took another sip of her drink. 

  
**_*** “No, Bandit! Not this time! Cledus is not goin' with you! He got in enough trouble last time. Dammit, Bandit, look at me when I'm talking to you!”_ **

  
**_“I find it hard to look at you, Waynette. With all those curlers in your hair, you look like you're tryin' to pick up a radio station in Savannah.” ***_ **

  
Lia started giggling and it took her a moment or two to stop. 

  
Jethro looked down at her in amusement. “Sweetheart, are you drunk?”

  
“A little bit,” Lia giggled some more and nodded. “How strong is this stuff?” She looked down at her glass and swished the contents around. 

  
“97 proof.”

  
That explained the intoxication. She had had three glasses of the stuff. She was mostly a beer drinker. On the rare occasion she drank hard liquor, it was usually Zachariah Harris whiskey. That was only 80 proof and she almost always stopped at one drink.

  
Lia leaned her head back against the sofa. “I'm usually more of a PBR girl. This shit's hitting me hard.”

  
Jethro's arm tightened around her shoulder and he kissed the top of her head. “It's also making you curse better than any Marine or sailor I've ever met.” He sounded incredibly amused. 

  
“I'm cursing?” Lia hadn't been aware that she was. She wasn't much for cursing normally. 

  
_***** “Breaker, breaker for the Bandit.”** _

  
_**“Come one back, breaker.”** _

  
_**“You got trouble comin', big trouble.”** _

  
_**“Well, what's your handle, son, and what's your 20?”** _

  
_**“My handle is Smokey Bear and I'm tail grabbin' your ass right now!” ***** _

  
Lia started laughing so hard that Jethro had to take her drink away so that she didn't spill it. He set his drink next to hers on the coffee table and got to his feet. “Come on, sweetheart.” He held out his hand. “I think you need to sleep it off.”

  
Lia accepted his hand but the moment she got to her feet, they felt like lead. She stumbled and Jethro had to catch her.

“Yep,” he chuckled and kissed her cheek before picking her up in his arms, “bedtime for you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “You've heard the legend of Jesse James  
> And John Henry, just to mention some names.   
> But there's a truck driving legend in the south today,  
> A man called Bandit from Atlanta, GA.
> 
> Every gear jammer knows his name.  
> They swear he's got ice water runnin' in his veins.  
> A foot like lead,  
> And nerves like steel,  
> He's goin' up to glory ridin' 18 wheels.”  
> -Jerry Reed (Snowman), The Legend
> 
> Rest in peace, Burt Reynolds.


	11. Gibbs

The next morning, Gibbs was awake long before Lia. He suspected this was due to all the bourbon the night before. Figuring she'd need it when she awoke, he brewed the strongest pot of coffee that he was capable of brewing before going and finding a bottle of Excedrin in the medicine cabinet. He set the Excedrin on the bedside table before making himself a cup of coffee and going out to sit on the back porch steps.

It was almost noon when Lia finally wandered into the back yard where Gibbs was just finishing mowing the lawn. She was dressed in black yoga pants, a baggy white t-shirt, had her hair piled up on top of her head in a messy bun and was clutching a cup of coffee like it was a lifeline. She looked so rough it was cute.

“Mornin', sweetheart,” he abandoned his lawnmower next to the porch and jogged up the steps to give her a quick kiss. “How ya feeling?”

“Like I drank too much, spent all night dreaming about being chased by Jackie Gleason except this time he was driving the firebird and was acting like his _Honeymooners_ character, and finally woke up feeling like _Woody Woodpecker_ is pecking at my brain and the Titanic is sinking in my stomach.” She said all of that with that special monotone voice that only comes with a hangover.

Gibbs chuckled. “I'm sorry,” he kissed her cheek before sitting down in one of the wooden patio chairs. “I left some Excedrin on the bedside table for you.”

“I found it.” She took a seat on his lap, not seeming to care that he was sweaty and smelled like grass. “I took three before I came out here.” She brought her mug to her lips and gulped about half it's contents. “Thanks, babe.” She leaned her head back against his shoulder. 

Gibbs was cognizant of the fact that she had just used a pet name for him for the first time. “No problem, sweetheart.” He kissed her temple. “Is there anything that you want to do today?”

“I want to go to the farmer's market in Georgetown,” Lia lifted her head and turned to look at him. “I want to make you dinner tonight.”

“Lia, you don't have to if you're not feeling up to it,” he nuzzled her cheek.

“I'll be fine,” she assured him with a kiss. “I just need to take a shower while I wait for the pills to kick in.” She drained the rest of her coffee and set her mug on the wooden table beside them. “I may be a lightweight but I did spend half of my childhood in Hollywood and I went to college. I know how to cure a hangover.”

Gibbs laughed. “If you want to go, we'll go, sweetheart, though I should probably shower too.” The arm that wasn't around her gestured to his grass and sweat-stained jeans and t-shirt. “Why don't you go first? I'll put the lawnmower away and take one after you.”

“Counteroffer,” Lia smirked mischievously. “I'll wait while you put the lawnmower away and then we can shower together.”

Gibbs was speechless for a moment before he found his voice. “Are you sure, Lia?” He was not accepting the offer if she wasn't. The last time she had suggested something like this she had only done it because she was trying to please him.

“100% positive,” she teasingly kissed his chin. “Please?”

Gibbs smirked. “Give me two minutes to put away the lawnmower,” he kissed her quickly and pushed her to stand from his lap.


	12. Lia

Once Lia was alone with Gibbs in the master bedroom, she thought she would be scared but she felt…right.

Gently pushing her aside, Gibbs leaned over and turned on the tap. When the water was the right temperature, he switched the shower on and closed the curtain. Standing up, he turned towards her and made the first move. Her pulled his hoodie and t-shirt off in one swift motion.

Lia mimicked him, pulling her shirt off and tossing it down to join his on the tile floor.

They silently continued this little game until they were both nude. Gibbs stepped into the shower first, quickly adjusting the temperature before holding out his hand for her to join him.

Once under the massaging spray of the shower, Lia wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him, the shower’s almost stinging jet of water hitting her in the back.

Gibbs responded by pulling her closer, her breasts now rubbing against his chest and his desire for her rubbing against her toned stomach. One of his hands came around and gave her ass a firm squeeze before breaking the kiss. “You sure you wanna do this? I need you to be real damn sure, sweetheart. I won’t want to let you go once we cross this line, Lia.”

Lia chuckled. “Jethro, if you don’t cross that line so help me God, I’m going to shoot you with your own gun.”

“Can’t have my girl catching a murder charge.” His lips once again found hers as his hands explored her body. Breaking the kiss, his head traveled lower, pulling one nipple and then the other into his mouth at the same time that he slipped two fingers into her depths and began working them in and out.

“Jethro,” Lia moaned.

“What’s wrong, sweetheart?” Gibbs’ mouth left her breasts, but he kept working his fingers in and out of her.

“I…I want you,” she gasped. “I don’t want to cum until you’re inside me.”

Gibbs immediately removed his fingers, leaving Lia feeling sadly empty. Kissing her quickly, he turned her around. “Bend over and put your hands on the wall,” he ordered gruffly.

Lia did as she was told, splaying her hands over the tile, the shower’s jet now hitting her lower back, right above her ass.

She felt Gibbs grip her hips and position her before she felt the tip of his rather think cock pushing inside her. He went slow, being careful not to hurt her. Once he was fully seated inside her, he leaned down and kissed her shoulder. “You good, sweetheart?”

“More than good,” she lightly rocked her hips backward. “Please, babe, move,” she whined wantonly.

Gibbs didn’t need to be told twice. Wrapping one arm around her waist, he took at an almost punishing pace. Just when Lia was about to go crashing over the cliff of pleasure, he stopped and pulled out.

“What –”

Gibbs pulled her up and spun her around. Placing both hands on her ass, he picked her up and pressed her against the shower wall. “I wanted to watch you cum, sweetheart.” Again, he entered her slowly, kissing her while he did. He broke the kiss, but his pace remained slow. “Look at me, Ophelia.” Her shock at his use of her rarely spoken real first name had her eyes flying to meet his. “I love you, sweetheart.”

After that, his pace increased, and Lia wouldn’t have been able to respond even is she had known what to say…and she didn’t.


	13. Gibbs

Lia’s lack of a reply to his declaration ate at Gibbs for the rest of the day, but he did his best to hide it. He didn’t want her to tell him she loved simply because she felt obligated to because he had said it.

“Dinner was delicious,” he complimented as he wrapped his arms around her from behind to stop her from doing the dishes. “Leave those. I’ll get them later.” He dropped a light kiss onto her neck and couldn’t help but smile when she sighed and leaned back into his touch.

Lia brought her hands up to cover his on her stomach. “Jethro?”

“Yeah, sweetheart?”

“I’m sorry I didn’t say it back earlier when you told me you love me.” There was a shakiness in Lia’s voice like she was forcing herself to speak.

Gibbs forced her to turn in his arms so he could see her face. “Lia, you don’t have to explain yourself. It’s okay if you’re not there yet. There’s no rush.”

“That’s not it,” Lia shook her head, not meeting his gaze.

Gibbs's heart rate sped up at those words, but he didn’t let his excitement show. Instead, he stepped back and took her hand, leading her down to the basement. Once there, he had her sit on the workbench while he moved to sit on his stool in front of her, giving her space.

“You wanna tell me what you were trying to say upstairs?” He grabbed his bottle of whiskey and two jars, pouring a healthy serving into each and handing her one.

Lia took a large sip out of her jar before she spoke. “My last boyfriend never told me he loved me. I’ve never had a man say that to me, off-camera. You kinda threw me for a loop, you know?”

Gibbs nodded. “Yeah, and I also know that we have some serious work to do on your self-esteem. You deserved better than what your ex gave you.”

“I know.” Lia smiled and set her glass aside. “You’ve been showing me that since day one…it’s one of the reasons why I love you so much.”

Gibbs grinned. “You do?”

Lia nodded. “I do. I just needed a little while to think about it. I wanted to be really sure.” She hopped off the workbench and walked over to him, moving to stand in-between hi legs and wrapping her arms around his neck.

“I love you too, sweetheart.” Gibbs’ hands came up to rest on her hips.

Lia leaned down and softly kiss him. “Wanna go upstairs and show me?”

That was not a question that Gibbs needed to hear twice.


	14. Lia

** TWO MONTHS LATER **

“Seriously? We’re ending the season with Angel pregnant?” Lia desperately tried not to laugh at the irony of the situation.

“Our last focus group’s feedback was pretty clear,” the show’s head writer, Julie, answered from her seat at the head of the writer’s table. The cast had gathered for a run-through of the season finale’s plot with the writers. “Viewers absolutely love seeing Angel depicted as a single mom, and Liam is testing pretty high as a character, but the biggest storyline request we’re getting from is viewers is the request for Angel to have another child.”

“Well, it’s great timing,” Lia replied as she leaned back in her chair.

“What do you mean?” Amelia raised a suspicious eyebrow.

“I’m two months pregnant,” Lia announced. “I found out this morning.”

Amelia chuckled. “That’s not what I meant when I said take it slow, darling.”

“Do you want us to put out a press release?” This question was asked by Dwight, the show’s original creator and current showrunner.

“No,” Lia shook her head and said firmly. “I want to get into my third trimester first,” and she needed to get around to telling the baby’s father.

*******

When Lia left the studio, she found Gibbs waiting for her in the parking lot. This was odd because she had driven herself to the Navy Yard that day.

“What are you doing here?” She accepted his kiss as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

“I was worried, wanted to know how your doctor’s visit went,” Gibbs replied. “Plus, I wanted to see you. The case I’m working on is going to keep me late.”

That was the last thing that Lia wanted to hear. “Don’t worry, it can wait.” She forced a smile onto her face.

Fortunately for Lia, in the time that they had been together, Gibbs had learned to read her like an open book. She was about to find out just how well he knew her.

Gibbs smiled warmly as he studied her face carefully. He reached up and cupped her cheek in his hand, using his thumb to rub her bottom lip. “You’re pregnant, aren’t you, sweetheart?”

Lia was pretty sure her heart momentarily stopped. But then she realized something. Gibbs was still smiling down at her. She took a moment and studied his face. All she saw was love and acceptance…maybe even a little excitement. What she saw gave her the courage to nod her head and say, “eight weeks along.”

At her words, Gibbs crashed his lips to hers as he held her tightly in his arms. When they finally came up for air, Lia couldn’t help the giddy laugh that escaped her lips. “Does that kiss mean that you’re cool with this?”

“We didn’t think about protection that first time,” Gibbs smirked. “I didn’t want to freak you out by mentioning it, but I knew this might be coming.”

“I love you so much right now,” Lia declared. “You really have no idea.”

“I love you too, sweetheart.” He kissed her forehead. His hand came down to rest on her stomach. “I love this baby too. Why don’t you head home to my place and get some rest? I’ll join you as soon as I can, and we’ll talk, okay?”

“Okay,” Lia nodded.


	15. Gibbs

It was almost three in the morning when Gibbs pulled into his driveway and parked his car behind Lia’s. Before getting out, he thought about grabbing the engagement ring that he had hidden int the glove compartment, but in the end, he had decided against it. Even though he had purchased it almost two weeks earlier, Lia didn’t know that. Gibbs didn’t want her to think that the only reason he was purposing was because she was pregnant. Because that was the very last reason on his mental pro-list for marriage.

Gibbs was as quiet as possible as he entered the dark house as that he didn’t wake Lia. He kicked his shoes off next to the front door before creeping up the stairs. When he opened his bedroom door, a smile came to his lips.

Lia was fast asleep in his bed. He knew she was comfortable because she was sprawled across the bed like she tended to do when she was alone. The blankets had been kicked to the foot of the bed, and the sight of his girlfriend wearing nothing but one of his old t-shirts and a pair of blue panties had him taking a shower before he joined her so that he wasn’t tempted to ravage her the moment he joined her. She was carrying his kid. She needed all the rest she could get.

When he finally joined her in bed, Gibbs had to first gently push her over to her side before there was room for her to get in. No sooner had he gotten comfortable on his back than Lia rolled over to lay cuddled up to his chest.

Gibbs chuckled and kissed her forehead, holding her close.

“How’s your case going?” Lia surprised him by revealing that she was awake.

“It’s closed,” Gibbs informed her. “I just have some paperwork to do tomorrow, so I should be all yours this weekend.” He had worked the last two weekends in a row.

“Good,” she laid a kiss on his t-shirt clad chest. “I’ve missed spending time with you that wasn’t spent sleeping.”

Gibbs and Lia spent almost every night in the same bed. When he got off work on time, they would spend the night Lia’s place. When a case kept him late, Lia would head over to his house, so they at least got to be together while they slept. It soothed his jaded soul after long, emotionally draining cases to come home and find her in his bed waiting for him.

“How are you feelin’, sweetheart?” He reached down and rubbed her stomach.

“Okay, for the moment, but give me another roughly three hours, and I’ll be praying to the porcelain gods. It’s been like clockwork the past week. Oh, at the cast and crew meeting today, I found out that I got pregnant at the right time. The big plot twist for this year’s season finale is Angel announcing that she’s pregnant.” Lia turned her head and propped her chin up on his chest so she could look at his face in the bright moonlight.

“At least you won’t have to wear a pregnancy pad life you had to when you shot that flashback episode.” He playfully kissed the tip of her nose. “You hated that.”

“You really are okay with this baby, aren’t you?” The fact still appeared to surprise Lia.

“Of course I am,” he gave her a light squeeze. “I only have one request.”

“What?” Lia tensed up, and her voice now sounded nervous.

“A baby needs stability and a schedule. We need to stop bouncing around from house to house every other night.” He was posing this as something logical to do for their kid to avoid scaring off his still slightly skittish mate. “I think we should rent this place out and live together at yours. It’s bigger and closer to work for both of us.” He also didn’t think that it was right nor fair of him to ask the woman he loved to raise a family with him in the same house where he had once raised a family with another woman. It was finally time for him to move on and leave the past where it belonged…in the past. That was something he had never been willing or ready to do with any of his ex-wives. It was another reason why he knew that marrying Lia was the right call. She was it. She was his second chance. The real one this time.

“Okay,” Lia smiled and gave him a quick kiss.

That was easier than Gibbs had anticipated. It seemed like Lia was finally confident in his feelings for her. “You know I love you, right, sweetheart?”

“I know,” Gibbs could hear the confidence in her tone, and it warmed his heart in a way that not much could. “I love you too.”


	16. Lia

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Would you look at that? I lied about how long the hiatus would be for this story.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been happier for winter break.” A now 6-months pregnant Lia took a seat at her kitchen table as her boyfriend set a mug of tea in front of her. It was mid-November, and Lia wasn’t expected back on set until early April. Pregnancy was kicking her ass, and she was grateful to spend the rest of it at home.

“Did you guys ever find a new cast member to play the father of Angel’s baby?” Gibbs took a seat across from her at the table with a cup of coffee in front of him.

Lia had to work hard not to giggle. He would never admit it, but he wasn’t at all comfortable with her character having a love interest…and she hadn’t exactly told him that she wasn’t getting one. The show was hiring a guest star who would appear for a few episodes each season. Angel’s pregnancy was being written as the product of a one-night stand. The father character would come and go and would only act as a co-parent for the fictional baby. “Yeah, since his own show just ended, a very happily married friend of mine has agreed to come and go as an occasional guest star. He’ll be playing a biker from another charter who’s a part-time dad.”

Gibbs visibly relaxed at her words. He nodded before changing the subject. “I got a call from my dad today.”

This got Lia’s attention. Gibbs never really talked about his father. From the little that she had managed to glean since they had been together, she knew that the two men had a complicated relationship. “And?”

“He wants me to come home to Stillwater next week for Thanksgiving…and he wants me to bring you.”

“Me?” Lia hadn’t even been sure that old man Gibbs even knew that she existed.

Gibbs nodded. “He’s known about you since almost the beginning, sweetheart. You aren’t my dirty little secret.”

That made Lia smile. “Does he know about this?” She gestured to her rather sizeable baby bump.

“He does not.” Gibbs chuckled. “He was shocked that you were so far along…and then he chewed me out for not calling enough.”

Lia wasn’t about to judge Gibbs's relationship with his dad when she didn’t even know who hers was, and she hadn’t seen her mother in years.

“He asked if we knew the sex of the baby yet,” Gibbs shared. “I wasn’t sure if you wanted to tell people or not, so I told just told him we didn’t know it.”

They did know and had for about a month. “Why don’t we tell him next week when we go visit him for Thanksgiving?”

Gibbs smiled at her and reached across the tabletop to take her hand in his. “Thank you, sweetheart.”

Lia gave a little laugh. “Don’t thank me, babe. I figure Little Man should have at least one active grandparent in his life.”

“Are we sticking with Little Man?” He teased as he rubbed her wrist with his thumb.

“Well, we’ve already agreed nothing weird like Ophelia or Jethro,” she teased right back. “I think I’m gonna need some time to think on it.”

“Take your time, honey.” Gibbs got to his feet as the doorbell rang. “That’s the tacos I ordered for dinner.”

“Damn, you’re perfect.” Lia accepted his quick kiss as Little Man woke up at the mention of Mexican food.


	17. Gibbs

His father actually liked Lia. This was a surprise for Gibbs. The only woman that Jackson Gibbs had ever approved of had been Shannon. He had refused to even meet wife number three. But Lia, his old man had warmly and graciously welcomed with two literal open arms.

“Ya know, I used to watch you on TV when you were just a little slip of a thing.” Jackson took a seat in his favorite easy chair while Gibbs and Lia sat across from him on the older than dirt couch. “I caught a little bit of the new one a couple nights ago. It’s funny…and not vulgar and violent like most TV these days.”

Lia blushed and looked down. She was very uncomfortable in the presence of any sort of parental figure aside from her TV mom, Amelia. Gibbs had noticed it for the first time when she had gone with him to Ducky’s house, and she suddenly became shy when she met his ancient mother. He figured that this personality quirk came from her rough childhood being raised by a single stage mother. She’d never been a part of a normal family, so she became uncomfortable and shy around them when she met them. “Thank you,” she meekly said.

Knowing that Lia wanted his dad’s attention off of her, Gibbs redirected the conversation. “So, Pop, we’ve got some news for ya.”

Jackson raised an eyebrow. “Boy or girl?”

“Boy,” Lia was the one who answered.

“Carrying on the Gibbs name.” Jackson nodded and smiled. “You plan on giving that name to the baby’s momma?” He eyed his son sternly.

The way his dad was looking at him made Gibbs feel like a teenager who had knocked up his cheerleader girlfriend.

“Jackson,” Lia was flustered. “We’re fine with things the way that they are. The baby will be getting his father’s name. That’s all that matters.”

“She’s just being polite, Pop.” Gibbs surprised his girlfriend by saying. “Yeah, I plan on marrying her after she has the baby. We just got tripped up and went about things in the wrong order.”

That seemed to appease his dad, who excused himself from the room to check on dinner in the kitchen.

“Are we gonna discuss what you just told your dad?” If Lia’s eyes got any wider, she was going to be entering cartoon territory soon.

“You mean the truth?” Gibbs smirked. “Sure, we will.” He leaned over and quickly kissed her. “But not with the old man wandering around. Tonight, I promise, sweetheart.”

Gibbs hadn’t been entirely truthful the previous week. He had been the one to call his dad, not the other way around. He hadn’t told his dad that he would be proposing, but he knew he would get him to ask to visit if he told him about the baby. Gibbs had been carrying around Lia’s engagement ring for long enough. It was time for her to wear it, and he wanted to propose in his hometown, away from the hustle and bustle of their everyday life.


	18. Lia

Gibbs was being weird. He was even more quiet than usual…which was really saying a lot. That morning, he had poked his head into the bathroom while she was brushing her teeth and told her to meet him out in the barn at noon. Then he had barely said two words to her during breakfast before giving her a quick kiss goodbye and leaving her in his father’s company while he went…somewhere. He didn’t tell Lia where he was going.

Lia shot Jackson a questioning look over the breakfast table.

“Don’t look at me,” Jackson chuckled. “I gave up trying to understand that boy a long time ago. I just love him because he’s my son, and I have to.” He went back to his newspaper.

Lia laughed. The eldest Gibbs’ man was no good at lying. He knew what his son was up to, but she let it slide. Whatever was going on didn’t appear to be bad, so she let the Gibbs’ men have their little secret. Her phone vibrating on the table got her attention. Scanning her fingerprint, she checked her screen and found that she had a google news alert…about herself. Opening it, she saw red.

Her mother had given a new interview about her. Against her better judgment, Lia clicked on the link. She didn’t actually read the article; she just scanned it to see what her big-mouthed mother had to say this time. She told the same regurgitated story of what it was like to raise a child star. As usual, she somehow managed to make it sound like she was actually a saint for forcing her infant daughter into commercials and later television. She thought she deserved praise for spending eighteen years being 100% financially supported by her child. Then her mom played the victim. She had ‘devoted’ almost two decades of her life to her daughter’s career, and her only repayment was to be thrown out of her daughter’s life. The reality was that Lia’s mother lived in a five-bedroom house that had been completely paid for by Lia. Her mom had also been paid 20% of all of Lia’s earnings for eighteen years. She wasn’t strapped for cash. Until a few months earlier, Lia had even handled all of her mother’s bills. Gibbs had put an end to that when he had learned of it when they combined their finances. He pointed out that her mom had been well paid over the years and was still young enough to work. It wasn’t fair for Lia to continue to foot the bill for everything. That’s probably why Lydia Ryan went for Gibbs; throat in the interview. When she had been asked about her daughter’s boyfriend and pregnancy, she hadn’t been kind.

_*** “I don’t like Lia’s boyfriend. He’s too old for her and way too controlling. Lia used to take care of my bills in my retirement. This Jethro character made her stop. His motives aren’t pure, that much I know.”_

_“Lia hasn’t spoken directly to me in years. Before she cut off her financial support, she only spoke to me through lawyers and money men. She’s a very angry young woman. I don’t think she’s going to handle motherhood very well. She’s too selfish. I was honestly sick to my stomach when I learned that she had gone and gotten herself pregnant. It’s not all her fault, but Lia has a lot of emotional trauma in her past that I think prevents her from attaching to people emotionally.” ***_

“You crazy old bat, you ARE my emotional trauma,” an infuriated Lia mumbled to herself.

“If you read what your crazy momma said, just ignore it,” Jackson said from behind his paper. “You’ll be a fine mom, don’t you worry about that. Crazy can’t be reasoned with, and it’s best not try.”

“Has Jethro seen the news?” She already knew the answer, but she still figured she’d ask.

“Yep,” Jackson folded up his paper. “I think what he’s workin’ on will cheer you right up.” The old man winked at her.

Lia could do nothing more than shake her head and laugh. Seriously, what the hell was the Gibbs men up to?


End file.
